THE GILBERT COLLECTION

These are the words of Dr. Henry Levant, who was married to Al Gilbert’s late daughter Nina.

From everything I’ve heard and read, Gilbert sounds like the sort of man you’d have loved to call family: generous, compassionate, gentle…and a world-famous photographer. Gilbert was one of those “only in Canada” geniuses who flies under the radar at home, better recognized for their talents abroad.

Early Life

Al Gilbert’s father was Nathan Gittelmacher, a trained photographer from Ukraine who emigrated to Canada in 1921. By the following year, Gittelmacher had opened the Elite Photography Studio at 513 Queen Street West. Early years saw Gittelmacher photographing weddings, bar mitzvahs, and Jewish community events across Toronto. After putting down roots, Gittelmacher changed the family name to Gilbert, and welcomed four children with his wife Nina: Louis, Albert, Jack, and Ruth. Elite Photography Studio changed its name to Gilbert Studios. The children grew up surrounded by the photographer’s art, learning to take pictures and retouch images, which was a speciality of the family business. After Nina’s death, Nathan Gilbert abruptly decamped for New York City, meaning that Al, at the age of 19, was left to run the studio and provide for his family –which included his own young wife and child, as well as his siblings.

PHOTOGRAPHER TO THE STARS –AND THE COMMUNITY

Like his father, Al Gilbert began working as a commercial photographer: weddings, bar mitzvahs, and Jewish community events. Equal parts artist and businessman, Gilbert was ambitious. Interested in photographing celebrities, yet unable to leave his family and business to travel abroad, Gilbert came up with an idea. He lobbied a local radio station to let him photograph popular singers and jazz legends when they passed through Toronto, which he would do for free. In exchange for the access, he would provide stacks of the images to the radio station to hand out to fans. This was how he was able to start building his legendary portfolio. He photographed a young Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie, Moe Koffman and others – all without leaving his family in Toronto.

Gilbert developed his career making portraits of some of the great figures of his time: world leaders including His Holiness John Paul II, Golda Meir, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Joe Biden; Canadian icons including Jean Beliveau, Dr. Charles Best, Robertson Davies; and artists including A.J. Casson, Joyce Wieland, Oscar Peterson, Henry Moore, and Yousuf Karsh – a good friend who ended up mentoring Al’s son Michael Gilbert, who also became a photographer.

Though he photographed international celebrities and would become known as the “Ambassador of Canadian Photography,” Gilbert continued to work commercially, capturing important events in the lives of the Toronto community. Gilbert was noted for his tremendous ability to connect with his subjects –famous or otherwise — drawing them out while also helping them relax. Perhaps the only person to dislike being photographed by Gilbert was his daughter Nina, who had often been corralled into posing for her father throughout her childhood.

Always Innovating

Though famous for his wide-angle portraits and his mastery of pioneering photographic techniques, Al Gilbert was not content to make the same images over and over. He was an early adopter of the digital camera, innately understanding this new technology as another tool he could use to capture light.

Fellow photographer and friend Kurt F.G. Jafay wrote that “Al has never been satisfied with being an operator of a camera in ‘hopes of good results’. He continually concentrates energies in producing images which must have the ‘Al Gilbert Stamp.’”

When I asked Dr. Levant if his father-in-law had any hobbies, he replied, “photography.” If Gilbert wasn’t working in his studio, he was out taking more pictures. Dr. Levant recalls that Gilbert’s eye was so honed that he was incapable of taking a bad picture.

“He could see things that he simply couldn’t teach others. When he gave courses, he would say, ‘I would tell them almost everything. But you can’t teach them something if they can’t see it. It’s something you’re born with.’” Dr. Levant speaks of Gilbert’s love of teaching, recalling that the shy, reserved man transformed into a witty raconteur on stage – “he was two different people!” Gilbert loved sharing his expertise, authoring books and articles, giving lectures around the world, and making videos.

Gilbert’s portraits have been deemed to be of “outstanding significance and cultural importance” by the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board. He was made a Member of the Order of Canada and was awarded the Confederation Medal of Canada, in addition to being awarded a plethora of the highest awards and tributes from countries and photographic societies around the globe –too numerous to list here.

The Gilbert Collection

Al Gilbert’s great eye was not limited to his own work. Along with his son Michael, Gilbert collected photography from its earliest period through to the present day. Among the collection are works by Irving Penn, André Kertesz and Arnold Newman, some of which were exhibited in the inaugural exhibition at the Canadian Centre of Photography, which Gilbert helped found.

Waddington’s is pleased to be offering a selection of these images in our Photographs in Partnership with Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival auction. Al Gilbert’s special collection is complemented by photographs from an important private collection documenting First Nations, Inuit and Métis subjects. Photographs included are by Robert Flaherty, Lachlan Burwash, Richard Harrington, Harry Pollard, and Métis photographer Richard Throssel. These special collections are complemented by contemporary photography curated by CONTACT, including artists Suzy Lake, Ken Lum, Max Dean, and more.

NADAR (GASPARD FÉLIX TOURNACHON)

(1820-1910), FRENCH

DOUBLE PORTRAIT OF A DANCER (FROM “ART IN PHOTOGRAPHY,” 1905) two stereoscopes; inscribed “Théatre de Nadar, Edition B.K.” on card

3.5 ins x 7 ins; 9 cms x 17.7 cms

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON $400 — 600

GERTRUDE KÄSEBIER (1852-1934), AMERICAN

MRS. R. COLLIER

(FROM “ART IN PHOTOGRAPHY,” 1905) halftone photograph sight 5.7 ins x 4.5 ins; 14.5 cms x 11.5 cms

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON

$300 — $400

CLARENCE HUDSON WHITE (1871-1925), AMERICAN WOMAN READING BY THE WINDOW, CIRCA 1905 photogravure sight 4.2 ins x 5.3 ins; 10.7 cms x 13.5 cms

PROVENANCE:

Canadian Centre of Photography, Ontario; Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON

$400 — 500

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894-1985), AMERICAN/HUNGARIAN

MELANCHOLIC TULIP, 1939 gelatin silver print; signed “A. Kertész” and dated verso

10 ins x 8 ins; 25.5 cms x 20.4 cms

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON

$4,000 — 6,000

HOWARD CLINTON TIBBITTS (1863-1937), AMERICAN

THE FALLEN MONARCH albumen print ; signed and titled in the negative; a later impression (1899)

19.1 ins x 22.1 ins; 48.5 cms x 56.2 cms

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON

$600 — 800

WALLACE R. MACASKILL (1887-1956), CANADIAN

NOCTURNE hand-coloured photograph laid down on card; signed and titled to mat board sheet 4.4 ins x 6.5 ins; 11.2 cms x 16.5 cms

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON $300 — 400

GEORGE WASHINGTON WILSON (1823-1893), SCOTTISH

WASHING DAY IN SKYE, SCOTLAND, CIRCA 1880 albumen silver print sight 7.1 ins x 9.5 ins; 18 cms x 24.2 cms

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON

$300 — 400

WILLIAM NOTMAN (1826-1891), SCOTTISH/CANADIAN

MONTREAL SNOWSHOE CLUB, 1877 albumen composite print image 12.2 ins x 18.2 ins; 31 cms x 46.3 cms

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON

$100 — 200

EMILE JOACHIM CONSTANT PUYO (1857-1933), FRENCH

CHAMBERMAID AT A PARISIAN BALCONY, MONTMARTRE (Nᵒ 16 FROM “CAMERA WORK”), 1906 halftone photograph

6.5 ins x 8.3 ins; 16.4 cms x 21 cms

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON

$2,000 — 3,000

ALVIN LANGDON COBURN (1882-1966), BRITISH

PORTRAIT OF ALFRED STIEGLITZ (Nᵒ 21 FROM “CAMERA WORK”), 1908 photogravure on tissue mounted to paper sheet 12 ins x 8.3 ins; 30.6 cms x 21.2 cms

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON $800 — 1,200

ALVIN LANGDON COBURN (1882-1966), BRITISH SPIDER-WEBS (Nᵒ 21 FROM “CAMERA WORK”), 1908 halftone photograph sight 9.2 ins x 6.3 ins; 23.3 cms x 16 cms

PROVENANCE:

Canadian Centre of Photography, Ontario; Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON

$300 — 400

ALVIN LANGDON COBURN (1882-1966), BRITISH

NOTRE DAME (Nᵒ 21 FROM “CAMERA WORK”), 1908 photogravure sight 7.8 ins x 6.3 ins; 19.8 cms x 16 cms

PROVENANCE:

Canadian Centre of Photography, Ontario; Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON

$300 — 400

ALVIN LANGDON COBURN (1882-1966), BRITISH

THE RUDDER (Nᵒ 21 FROM “CAMERA WORK”), 1908 halftone photograph sight 7.9 ins x 6.3 ins; 20 cms x 16 cms

PROVENANCE:

Canadian Centre of Photography, Ontario; Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON

$300 — 400

ALVIN LANGDON COBURN (1882-1966), BRITISH

NEW YORK (Nᵒ 21 FROM “CAMERA WORK”), 1908 halftone photograph sight 6.4 ins x 6.3 ins; 16.3 cms x 16 cms

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON

$300 — 400

EDWARD STEICHEN (1879-1973)

THE POOL (Nᵒ 2 FROM “CAMERA WORK”), 1903 photogravure sight 7.9 ins x 5.8 ins; 20 cms x 14.7 cms

PROVENANCE:

Canadian Centre of Photography, Ontario; Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON

$400 — 600

EDWARD STEICHEN (1879-1973), AMERICAN STEEPLECHASE DAY, PARIS: AFTER THE RACES (Nᵒ 42/43 FROM “CAMERA WORK”), 1913 photogravure sight 6.2 ins x 6.7 ins; 15.7 cms x 17 cms

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON

$300 — 400

EDWARD STEICHEN (1879-1973), AMERICAN GEORGE BERNARD SHAW, CIRCA 1907-1908 four-colour halftone photograph sheet 7.5 ins x 5.5 ins; 20 cms x 14.7 cms

PROVENANCE:

Canadian Centre of Photography, Ontario; Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON

$2,000 — 3,000

EDWARD STEICHEN (1879-1973), AMERICAN PORTRAIT OF ALBERT BARTHOLOMÉ, CIRCA 1905 photogravure sight 8.1 ins x 5.9 ins; 20.5 cms x 15 cms

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON

$300 — 400

ALFRED STIEGLITZ (1864-1946), AMERICAN A SNAPSHOT OF PARIS (Nᵒ 41 FROM “CAMERA WORK”), 1911-1913 photogravure printed on tissue attached to paper; inscribed “Alfred Stieglitz A Snapshot, Paris 1911 CW #41” in graphite on paper support verso sheet 11.1 ins x 8.1 ins; 28.3 cms x 20.5 cms

PROVENANCE:

Canadian Center of Photography, Ontario; Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON $800 — 1,200

EDWARD P. MCMURTRY (1883-1969), AMERICAN

UNTITLED, CIRCA 1930 carbro colour print; signed lower right sight 5.1 ins x 3.9 ins; 13 cms x 10 cms

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON $200 — 300

IRVING PENN (1917-2009), AMERICAN HELL’S ANGELS:

DOUG (SAN FRANCISCO), 1967-1976 platinum palladium print; signed, titled, dated “1967,” numbered 9/40 and inscribed “P1713” in pencil; there were also 15 signed and unnumbered prints according to the stamp; copyright by Cowles Communication, Inc. verso; printed in July 1976 sheet 19.3 ins x 19.7 ins; 57 cms x 63.1 cms; image 19.7 ins x 20.4 ins; 50.1 cms x 51.8 cms

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON

$15,000 — 20,000

NOTE:

Irving Penn is one of the most iconic photographers of the 20th century, known for his innovative approach to portraiture and fashion photography. Among his many celebrated works is the suite of photographs “Hell’s Angels” which captures the infamous motorcycle gang of the same name.

The “Hell’s Angels” suite was created by Penn in 1968 for a feature in Look magazine, and was later published in a book in 1972. The photographs feature members of the Hell’s Angels motorcycle club, dressed in their leather jackets and motorcycles, posed against neutral backgrounds. The images are powerful and evocative, conveying both the danger and allure of the outlaw biker lifestyle.

The photograph “Hell’s Angel: Doug” is a standout piece from the suite, featuring a member of the gang. Doug’s expression is intense and focused, conveying a sense of both menace and vulnerability shot in black and white, which adds to its raw feel.

Penn has employed a technique known as chiaroscuro, which involves using strong contrasts of light and dark to create a sense of depth and drama. Doug’s face is illuminated by a bright, light source, which creates deep shadows on his jacket and behind him.

“Hell’s Angel: Doug”, offered here is a powerful and iconic piece of photography that captures the essence of the Hell’s Angels motorcycle club and the outlaw biker culture of the late 1960s. It is sure to be a sought-after piece for collectors of Irving Penn, of photographs and enthusiasts of motorcycle culture alike.

YOUSUF KARSH (1908-2002), ARMENIAN/CANADIAN

GEORGIA O’KEEFE, 1956 photogravure; signed in ink; a later impression sheet 12 ins x 9.6 ins; 30.5 cms x 24.3 cms

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON $600 — 800

YOUSUF KARSH (1908-2002), ARMENIAN/CANADIAN

ALBERT EINSTEIN, 1948 photogravure; signed in ink; a later impression sheet 11.4 ins x 9.5 ins; 29 cms x 24.2 cms

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON

$600 — 800

YOUSUF KARSH (1908-2002), ARMENIAN/CANADIAN

TENNESSEE WILLIAMS, 1956 photogravure; signed in ink; a later impression sheet 11.9 ins x 9.6 ins; 30.3 cms x 24.3 cms

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON

$600 — 800

YOUSUF KARSH (1908-2002), ARMENIAN/CANADIAN

PABLO PICASSO, 1954 photogravure; signed in ink; a later impression sheet 11.9 ins x 9.6 ins; 30.2 cms x 24.3 cms

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON

$600 — 800

ARNOLD NEWMAN (1918-2006), AMERICAN

YASUO KUNIYOSHI, 1941 gelatin silver print mounted to board; signed “© Arnold Newman,” titled and dated to mat board sheet 7.7 ins x 9.8 ins; 19.6 cms x 25 cms

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON

$1,500 — 2,500

DAVID RUBINGER (1924-2017), ISRAELI

THE PARATROOPERS AT THE WESTERN WALL, CIRCA 1967 gelatin silver print; signed lower left 16 ins x 11.8 ins; 40.7 cms x 30 cms

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Al Gilbert, Toronto, ON $300 — 400